Lumber carrier



Aug. 3o, 1927.

1,640,718 E. A. oETzEN LUMBER CARRIER FiledAprl 5, 1925 7 Sheets-Sheet'1 Aug. .30, 1927. 1,640,718

E. A. OETZEN LUMBER CARRIER Filed April 3. 1926 7 Sheets-Sheet' 2 Aug.30, 1927. l 1,640;7l8

I E. A. or-:TzEN

LUMBER CARRIER Fired April 192e '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 30, 1927.1,640,718

E. A. OETZEN LUMBER CARRIER Filed April 5, 1926 i '7 .Sheets-Sheet 4LUMBER CARRIER Filed April s, 192e 7 sheets-sheet; 5

Aug. 30, 1927. 1,640,718 I I E. A. oETzEN LUMBER CARRIER Filled AprilM1926 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Aug.

E. A. OETZEN LUMBER CARRIER Filed April 5. 1926 '7 Sheets-Sheet` 7Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE.

ERNEST A. OETZEN, OF EVERETT, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO SIJINER IRONWORKS, OF EVERETT, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON LUMBERCARRIER.

Application led April 3, 1926. 4Serial No. 99,588.

My invention relates to lumber carriers and other types of straddlinghoists; The object of my invention is to provide a device of thischaracter. Iwith its hoisting mechanism in such a manner that the powerdevices can be collected compactly at the middie of the frame and actthru a series of fulcrumed levers to lift the load engaging elements ateach corner of the frame.

I attain this object by mounting on a straddling frame. a motor,andarrange the power transmission devices directly connected with saidmotor across the transverse middle ot the frame and down the middle oteach of the leg portions. I connect the load engaging shoes at thecorners of said.

frame to said power transmission devices at that side thru fulcrumedlevers. In this manner itis necessary to provide but two sets of powertransmitting devices from the' motor to serve four load engagingelements.

In all lumber carriers with which I am familiar, it has been considerednecessary to provide separate hoisting means at each cor- 5 ner and toconnect each of said hoisting means separately to the motor. By xmyinvention. therefore. I am able to save one-l halt' of thepowertransmitting devices and thus not onl f/ eliminate theircost, butalso eliminate they play which would otherwise he permitted by theconnections of their various elements. `j v A further object of myinvention is to provide power transmitting devices in which all ofthelelements are relatively stitl' members and thus eliminate thefrequentbreakdowns caused by breakage of chain, cables, and the like. 1

A further and incidental object of my invention, is to introduce acertain measure o resiliency in said latter stitl" connections to'prevent a blow given to the load carried by Said .carrier from beingtransmitted withv undiminished force to the hoisting mechanism. Toattain this later object,I proportion'th'e connections at either or bothends ot the fulcrumed levers so that there is a substantial play in saidconnections and thus if said load engaging shoes strike a projection,the blow thus given said shoe will .not

be transmitted directly to said hoisting mechanism because of the playthus provided, and thus said connections will not be strained.

Further devices'forcushioning said con nections are spring elements insaid power transmission devices, which springs are ari' ranged so thatthey do not carry any of the load, but permit the fulcrumed levers to berotated by a jar or blow if the play provided is insuicient. In otherwords, the spring elementsv provided in said power transmitting devicessupplement the play provided 1n said connections to permit vthe movementof said shoes upwardly upon striking a pro.- jection without injuringthe power transmitting devices or the hoisting mechanism.

Further details of construction and the Inode of operation arehereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a lumbel carrier, embodying myinvention;

Fig 2 is a plan view thereof with th seat and other auxiliary devicesremov from the top of the frame to disclose details of construction,which would otherwise be concealed;

Fig. 3 is a. vertical `section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showingthe hoisting devices at one side of said lumber carrier in elevatedposition;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary eleva.- tion of said hoisting devicesas viewed in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a similar scaled section taken on" the line 5.-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 1s a similar scaled section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig-4 thrnthe load engagf ing element at one end on saidstraddling legs.

Fig. 7 is a similarsection taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 4 showing'oneload engagintg element, the load engaging ange ca r- -ried thereby andalso the guides for said "load engaging element;

,Fig/8 is a still lar er scaled section of the innery end of one o saidfulcrumed levers illustrating how a separate wearing plate can beprovided;

edu

.carrying space 1c between them.

Fig. 9 is a section of said end taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

F ig; 10.is a transverse section taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 3;.

Fig. 11 is a section taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 3 except on alarger scale, showing the power transmitting means at one side of thelumber carrier;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary elevation showing a modified embodiment ofmyinvention in which the power transmitting devices include apulley-and-cable element;

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the modification shown in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a section taken on the line 14--14 of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary elevation of a still further modification of myinvention in which the power transmitting devices eiiibody apiston-aiid-cylinder element, said elevation being taken substantiallyon the line 15-15 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 16 is a plan view of said latter modification; Aand Fig. 17 is atransverse section thereof taken substantially on the line 17-17 of Fig.15.

My improved lumber carrier comprises a r frame having dependent sides 1aand 1b spaced apart laterally and defining a load Said frame is mountedon wheels 2 carried by spindles 3, the front spindles being guidable bysteering mechanism comprising arms'4a connected together by a rod 4b andconnected to the steering wheel 4V and by a rod 4d, in the usual manner.y

Each of said side portions comprise horizontal channel or I-beam'membersld which are spaced apart and carried by end members le. At the centerof each side frame two vertically arranged structural members 1t areprovided spaced apart and defining a guideway between them, and in saidguideway a block 5 is mounted for reciprocation in said guideway, andheld by said structural members 1f at each side thereof.

Between said structural members lf and the end members 1" are located,at each side, trunnions 6, said trunnions being carried by the lowermostside member 1d being fastened thereto by bolts 61.

Extending inwardly from said trunnions 6 are centrally arrangedstub-shafts 6b. Said trunnion is provided with an upstanding web portion6c and to said web portion I connect divergent structural members l1gwhich connect to the uppermost side member 1d as shown clearly in Fig.3. Said structural members 1g thus t-ie each trunnion 6 to the uppermostframe member 1L so that the said trunnions are connected to said uppermember as well as to the lowermost one upon which it is seated. Saidstructural members diverge towards said upper'memengaging members 8` ateach end of said sides.

The ends of said 7ZL and 7b of said fulcruined levers 7 are'preferablyvformed into circular knobs, the ends 7a engaging a boxing 8ftformed in each of said load engaging members 8 and the ends 7b of thefulcrumed levers, at each side of said frame, engaging boxings 5a in theslidable block at that side of said frame.

Said circular ends 7 and 7b respectively are preferably provided withwearingplates 7c and 7d, respectively, made of harder material butconforming to the outline of said ends 7a and 7b respectively and being'fastened thereto by stud-like pins 12. A wearing plate made of hardermaterial thus minimizes the wear upon said circular ends withoutincreasing the cost thereof a substantial amount.

Said load engaging members 8 are mounted for vertical reciprocalmovement in said side portions, and the load engaging members at eachside Carry a slightly flexible load engaging iange 9 between them,saidload engaging flange being fastened to each 4by a stud 10.

ceeding the width of said boxings by a substantial degree and theremainder of the length of said blocks is formed into guides 5b whichare connected .by a plate-like web 5c. Formed upon said block 5 are twospaced ears 5d and pivotally mounted between said ears on a pin 13 is atongue 14a which is an integral portion of a box 14 as shown clearly inFigs. 4 and 11.

A threaded lifting rod 15 is connected to said box thru spring elements16 carried on guide pins 17 in said box. Said threaded rod 15 terminatesin a T-head 15a, which is provided with apertures thru which said guidepins 16 extend and thus said pins act not only as keepers for thesprings 16 but also as guides for said rod 15, whenlthe latter tends totwist in said box 14 and the rod 15 is journaled at its upper end in acasing 18'carried by the uppermost side member 1d.

Keyed to said threaded rod is a bevel gear keyed to the stub-shaft 21also journaled lin said casing 18. Fixed to said stub-shaft 21 l -is asprocket 22 which is connected to a sprocket 23 on the transverse shaft24, by a chain 25. v

Similar lifting mechanism is provided at the opposite side of saidlumber carrier and operates similar hoisting mechanism at that side,both of said power transmission devices being connected to the mainshaft 24, which is in two halves, each half being'rotated in oppositedirections thru ordinary reverse gearing 24. y

The said reverse gearing is connected to the motor 26 thru a powertake-olf shaft 27, and the main propelling shaft 28 is used for drivingthe vehicle thru a rear driving shaft 29 and chains 30, in the commonmanner. Said reverse gearing is controlled by a hand lever 31fadjacent'the drivers seat.'

Said hand lever is connected to a pivoted control rod 32 thru a link 33and thus when the lever 31 is pulled in one direction it will move thereverse gear so as to lift the load, and when moved in the oppositedirection will reverse said hoisting mechanism and permit said load tobe lowered.

Especial attention is called to the conneev tion of the fulcrumed leverswith the block 5 and with the load engaging devices'8 respectively, suchconnections being shown clearly in Fig. 4. The boxings 5a and 8arespeetively,in said block and said load en gaging elements aresubstantially wider than the diameter of said circular ends 7b and 7 a,

said slide 35, and the end ofsaid cable is levers 7 to move slightlywithout affecting J the power transmission devices.

Furthermore this play provides for the slight elongation of the levers 7as they approach a horizontal position on their fulerums. f l

As an added precaution to prevent injury to said power transmissiondevices, I provide the springs 16 previously noted. Thus, if the loadengaging elementl 8 shown in Fig. 4 was driven upwardly by a blow', itwould rock the lever 7 counter-clockwise about the stub-shaft 6b andwould cause the circular ends 7a and 7b, respectively, to take up theplay in their boxings 5l and 8, respectively. If the blow tends to cause'saidl parts vtomove further, the engagement 'of said block-'thru theboxing 5a would be pulled downwardly in its guides 1f, and the springs16 supporting said boxing would be compressed slightly. The amount ofplay between said circular ends and their boxings, however, isproportioned to take care of all ordinary jars because said block 5 willbe held, to a certain degree, in position by the end 71 of the oppositelever, if only one of said levers is rocked.

In Figs. 12 to 14 inclusive, I show .my invention embodied in a lumbercarrier in which the power transmitting devices coinprise adrum-and-cable lift. In all other respects, however, the parts are thesame as the lformer modification, and thus will not be described indetail, but will be referred to by the same reference characters given'said parts in the modification shown in Figs. 1 to 11, inclusive.

The fulcrumed levers 7 are connected by the sliding block 34 which iscarried by the lower end of a post-like slide 35, arranged for verticalVreciprocation in the frame of said lumber carrier between the guidingflanges 1f. Carried by each of said postlike slides 35 are one or morerotatably mounted sheaves 36, two being vshown in Fig. 12, forconvenience. A cable drum 37 is carried by each end, of the transversedriving shaft 24" carrying reversing mechanism 24 and a cable 38 iswound about the periphery of cach of said cable drums 37, and is passedunder a fixed guide pulley 39 rotatably carried by the frame adjacentsaid post-like slide. From there the cable lis lead over said guidesheaves 36 carried by anchored to the frame upon a pin v40 at theopposite side of each of said post-like slides To lift a load of lumber,it is necessary that the load engaging elements 8 be moved upwardly, andthus the fulcrumed levers 7 must be'rocked to lift each of the ends 7thereof and lower the ends 7b. To lower the ends 7b, the post-like slide35 must be lowered corres ondingly.

The mass o -said post-like slides is considerably less than that of theload engagingelements 8 andl thus said load engaging elements, even whendisengaged from a load will tend to move said box-like slides upwardly.Therefore, whenfa load is carried by said elements 8, the force tendine;to

tightened, and said post is permitted to move upwardly when said cableis slackened.

In lthis modification, it is not necessary to provide a spring-likeelement similar to .the elements 14, A16, and 17in the previouslydescribed modification because said slide is p ment for the purposedescribe free to be moved downwardly because of the absence of stiffholding means tending to move the 'same upwardly. v In Figs. l5 to 17inclusive, I show a still further modification of a lumber carrierembodying my invention. In this latter modification, power transmittingrmeans comprising a piston-andrcylinder element is -provided toreciprocate the slidable block 5 vertically in its guides 1f.

The rods 41 shown in Figs. 15 to '17, inclusive, are the piston rodsdepending from the piston-aiid-cylinder elements 42 carried upon theupper portion of the frame 1. Said pistons are reciprocated to and fro'in said cylinders by fluid compressed by a pump element showndiagrammatically as- 43, which pump element is driven by a motor.

indicated diagrainmatically as 44.

Each cylinder is controlled by a separate valve 45 which not onlycontrols the flow of fluid to said piston, but also the flow from thelatter, said piston-aiid-cvl.inder element being double acting. A fluidsupply pipe 46 is branched and connects from .said pump 43 to both ofthe valves 45,'and a discharge pipe 47 is similarly connected to saidvalves and said pump. A rod 48 connects the actuating levers 49 on eachot said valves, which actuating levers are arranged to be actuatedsimilarly when the rod 48 is moved in one direction. l Y A Thus, forexample. the valves are arranged to supply fluid to the cvlinders 42, toactuate the same and to lift the load carrying elements when said rod ismoved towards the left in Fig. 17. When the rod is reversely moved, saidvalves are arranged to actiiate said piston-and-cylinder elements todrive the pistons in the opposite direction to lower the load engagingelements. i

In this modification, I show the elements 14, 16, and 17 also shown inthe modification in Figs. 1 to 111, inclusive, for the reason that eventhov a compiessible fluid is used, the pressures in said cylinders vwillbe so intense that veryvlittle relative elasticity will be providedthereby.

I cla-im:

1. A lumber carrier of the character dcscrihed. comprising ia loadstraddling frame, verticallv slidable load engaging elements carried bythe corners of said frame, fulcruined levers engaged at one end -to saidload'carrying elements respectively,- vertically movable, centrallylocated power transmittins,r element with which the other ends of saidlevers are connected, a motor and connections therefor to said powertransmitting element, including a yielding ele- 2. A lumber carrier ofthe character described, comprising a load straddliiig frame, verticallyslidable load'. engaging elements carried by thevcorners ofsaidframe,wfu1 crumed levers engaged at one end to said load carryingelements respectively, verti said frame vertically slidable therein andconstituting the connecting means of said power transmitting elementWith 'said fulyielding element for the purpose described.

3. In a lumber carrier of the character described, a load straddlingframe having laterally spaced dependent side portions, said sideportions comprising two longitudinally arranged members spaced apart vasubstantial distance, a motor carried by said frame,'po\ver transmissionmeans operatively connected` to said motor, vertically slidable loadcarrying elements carried by the corners of said frame, fulcruinedleversengaged' at one end with said load carrying elements,respectively, pivots for said levers carried by one of saidlongitudinal-members, divergent'frame members connecting each pivot to the other ofsaid longitudinal members, and the other ends of said fulcrumed-leversbeing connected to said power transmission means. L

4. In a lumber carrier of the character described, a load straddlingframe having laterally spaced dependent side portions, a motor carriedby said frame, power transmission means operatively connected to said'motor, vertically slidable load carrying elements carried by thecorners of said frame, said frame and 'said elements having miitiilallyformed engaging shoulders abutting when said load engaging elements moveto lowered or load engaging position, fulcrumed levers engaged at oneend with said load carrying elements,l respectively, the other ends ofsaid fulcrumed levers being connected to said power transmission means.

5. In a lumber carrier ot the character de-A 4crunied levers, and saidblock including a i'io scribed, a load straddling frame having laterallyspaced dependent side portions, 'a motor carried by said frame,power-.transmission means operatively connected to said motor,vertically slidable load carrying elements carried by the corners ofsaid frame, means carried by eachl of said load engaging elements andsaid frame, respective] for limiting the movement of` said loa engagingelements in said frame in one direction, fulcrumed levers engaged at oneend with said load4 carrying elements, respectively, and the other endsof said fulcrumed levers being connected to said powertransmissionmeans.

6. In a lumbercarrier of the character described, a loadstraddling framehaving l threaded screw connected therewith, fulcrumed levers engaged atone endwith said load carrying elements, respectively, and the otherends of said fulcrumed levers being connected to said blocks.

7. In a lumber carrier of the character described, a load straddlingframe having laterally spaced dependent side portions,ja motor carriedby said frame, powertransmission means operatively connected to said vmotor, vertically slidable load carrying elelments carried by thecorners of said frame, lsaid power transmission means comprising a blockvertically slidable in each of said side portions, and a verticallymounted threaded screw connected therewith, ulcrumed levers engaged atone end with said load'carrying elements, respectively, the other endsof said :tulcrumcd levers v.being connected to said blocks, Vand the endof each of said screw engaged by said blocks, respectively,terminating-in a T-shaped head, said block car? rying a box, and aspring element spacing ghe T-shaped .end of said screw from said 8. In alumber carrier of the character described, a load straddling framehaving laterally spaced dependent side portions, a motor carried by saidframe, power transmission means operatively connected to said motor,vertically slidable load carrying elements rarried by the corners ofsaid frame, said power transmission-means comprisin a block verticallyslidable in each of sai side portions, and a vertically mounted threadedscrew connected therewith, fulcrumed levers engaged at one end with saidload carrying elements, respectively, the other ends of said fulcrumedlevers being connected to said blocks, the end of each of said screwengaged by said blocks, respectively, terminating in'a T-shaped head,said block carrying a box, Vand a spring element spacing the T-shapedend of said screw from said box, and guide pins in said box, the

end of saidA threaded rod being slidably mounted "o n the latten i 9'.In a lumber carrier of the character-described, a load straddling framehaving laterally spaced dependent side portions, a motor carried by saidframe, power transmission means operatively connected to said motor,vertically .slidable load carrying elements carried by the corners ofsaid frame,

lulcrumed levers engaged at oneend with said load carr ing elements,respectively, the other ends o saidfulcrumed levers being connected tosaid power transmission means said levers terminating in circular knobs,an said load engaging elements and said block provided with boxingsengaged thereby.

10. In a lumber carrier ofthe `character described, a load straddlingframe having `laterally spaced dependent side portions, a

motor carried Iby, said frame', power transmission means -operativelyconnected to said motor, vertically slidable-load carrying elements,carried by the corners of said frame, fulcrumed levers engaged at oneend lwith said load carrying elements, respectively, the other ends ofsaid fulcrumed levers being connected to said power transmission means,said levers terminating in circular knobs, and said load engagingelements and said block provided with boxin size than said circularknob-like ends to provide a substantial degree of play in saidconnections.

11. In a lumber carrier of the character described, a. load straddlingframe havin@` laterally spaced dependent side portions, sai sideportions comprising two longitudinally arranged members spaced apart asubstantial distance, a motor carried by said frame, power ,transmissionmeans operatively connected to said motor, vertically slidable loadcarrying elements carried by the corners of said frame, ulcrumed leversengaged at one end with said load carrying elements, respectively,pivots for said levers carried by one of said longitudinal members,tension tying members connectingeach pivot to each of \saidlongitudinal-members, and the other ends ofi. said fulcrumed leversbeing connected to said power transmission means.

ERNEST A. OETZEN.

s engaged thereby, said boxings being of su stantially larger

